LAGUNA BEACH

City officials are asking residents to support a proposal for the state to return to cities and counties some of the property taxes it appropriated to balance the budget in the early 1990s. Because the city has recently settled a number of lawsuits related to landslides and other natural disasters, officials say many requests for community assistance grants will have to be rejected unless the property tax money is returned. State legislators are expected to decide in the next few weeks whether to dip into the large budget surplus and restore some of the diverted taxes. City officials suggest writing letters or e-mailing state representatives.